A village hall mystery doesn’t quite go to plan

HELLO, little one!” Penny Dauntless greeted a robin-redbreast, who cocked his head as she pushed along her trolley of post on the daily round. “How often is there such a perfect mid-December morning?”

Betty Middleton had only moved in two weeks earlier, but already she was starting to annoy me with her frequent knocks at my back door. “Would you like a slice of my lemon drizzle? It’s home-made!” No

Could it be all change at the charity shop?

D inah was not a Christmas cook. Her ...

While Tessa Waugh can never predict whether she’ll turn into a misanthrope or hostess with the mostest at her home meet, the day is a roaring success – with sausage rolls, sunshine and smiles